Comfort Zone

Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing (James 1:2-4, NLT).

I’ve always been an athlete, but going for a run has never been something I enjoy. I’ve always preferred to walk unless there is a ball involved. Even though I have an active job, I love to get out and about after work, get some Vitamin D, and enjoy being in God’s creation.

Now that I’ve moved on from competitive sports, jogging is one task that stretches me physically and mentally. It pushes me outside my comfort zone. And that’s a good thing. Because that’s true, it’s something I’ve been pushing myself to do a bit more lately. 

I was on a walk one evening a few weeks back and decided to kick things up a notch. I had surgery about 3 months ago, and have been working my way back into shape a little at a time. When I jog, I try to set a goal. That day, I wanted to make a mile in under 10 minutes. 

I turned on some worship music, and took off. I felt pretty good for the first little bit, and settled into a good rhythm. Because I was pushing my pace, by the ¾ mile mark, I was feeling a little uncomfortable. When my watch notified me that I had completed a mile, I glanced down to see the time: 9:29. 

I was pretty pumped. It wasn’t actually about the time, but rather about setting a goal, and pushing myself to do something uncomfortable. I was reminded of James 1:2-4 in that moment:

“Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.”

Had I not pushed myself to do something that was uncomfortable, I would have missed the opportunity for the joy that came from accomplishing the goal I set out to achieve. My decision to push myself to jog is helping to generate physical endurance in my life. 

What if we applied this very same concept to our spiritual lives and our walk with Christ? This devotion is not simply about jogging, but rather about taking time to consider these questions:

What’s something in your life that pushes you outside your comfort zone?

Where are there places that you have an opportunity to test your faith?

Are there ways that you can give your endurance a chance to grow?

Spend some time in prayer today. Reflect on what areas of your life you can challenge yourself. 

When we are actively participating in pushing ourselves outside our comfort zone, we are learning to apply the truth found in James–that we may experience opportunities for great joy, despite any trials or troubles that come our way.